Of all the types of referrals, the ones that come from your existing patients are most likely to be high in both quantity and quality. Existing patients tend to refer clients who are a better fit for your practice, and a patient who’s had great success in your holistic office can champion your cause with more enthusiasm than even your best friend. And although a new startup may only have a handful of patients to draw on, over time that practice will build a patient base of hundreds or thousands of files that can refer hundreds of more prospects with little effort on the part of the CAM practitioner.
The best part is that getting your existing patients to refer to you is neither time consuming nor expensive. Most of it is just about your personal interactions with your clients. Here are a few strategies to use:
Thank Patients for Their Referrals
This is so simple it’s often overlooked. Send a simple thank you card for the first couple of referrals. Ask your staff to make notes in patient files of who they’ve referred so when you treat them in your office you can thank them in person, too.
Ask Them for Referrals
Many alternative medicine practitioners miss out on extra referrals because they don’t ask for them. Remember that patients only see a small slice of your daily practice, and may not realize you’re seeking new referrals. Add to that the fact that most people simply to love to be asked for help, and you can generate an enormous number of new referrals simply by asking for them.
Provide Exceptional Service
In addition to providing great alternative medical care, remember that patients need to have a complete experience. Are you keeping your wait times short? Are you making it easy for people to pay? Is your staff pleasant, respectful and confidential? Is your office pleasant to enter? Is parking available? Is it free? All these things add up to a complete experience in your CAM office that affects whether or not your patients will refer their friends. Remember that when someone refers, they’re putting their own reputation on the line, too.
Show Your Gratitude in Other Ways
Why not put your money where your mouth is? Throw your best referrers a freebie once in a while to show your appreciation. Include them in new office plans, testing of new protocols and open house events. Make them feel like they’re more than just another appointment in a busy CAM practice.
Help Them
Above all else, if you legitimately help people resolve their health concerns, they will refer to you. If you’ve helped someone with a chronic condition that no one else seemed to be able to treat, you’ll have earned that person’s respect and referrals for years to come. Focus on providing alternative medical care with integrity passion, and the referrals will take care of themselves.
